Electrochemical element, and method and apparatus for manufacturing electrode thereof

A method for manufacturing an electrode of an electrochemical element, the electrode being capable of electrochemically absorbing and releasing a lithium ion, the method comprising steps of:

• (A) forming an active material layer on a current collector by heating a material that serves as a supply source of the active material layer in a pressure-reduced atmosphere and introducing gas that reacts with the material, thereby depositing a reaction product between the material and the gas on the current collector;
• and
• (B) providing lithium to the active material layer while preventing the gas from reacting with the lithium, wherein:
• the step (A) and the step (B) are carried out in a continuous pressure-reduced space,
• the step (A) is performed in a first vacuum chamber and the step (B) is performed in a second vacuum chamber,
• the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber are connected with a passage for suppressing movement of the gas from the first vacuum chamber to the second vacuum chamber, and
• the continuous pressure-reduced space is depressurized only from the first vacuum chamber to suppress movement of the gas from the first vacuum chamber to the second vacuum chamber.